


A Minor Setback

by NumerousInterests



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: I have a weakness for characters talking, M/M, Multi, whether or not this will ever be categorized as steamy I leave unto you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2019-01-04 22:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12178020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NumerousInterests/pseuds/NumerousInterests
Summary: Marik tries to obtain Obelisk on the blimp, and fails. It only makes him more determined. (Still in progress. MarikXSeto, slight Puppyshipping)





	A Minor Setback

**Author's Note:**

> (If anyone knows the proper ship name, let me know.)

 

''It's such an honour to meet you, Mr. Kaiba! I'm Namu.''

The brunette didn't uncross his arms for the hand stretched out in greeting.

''...I know who you are.''

''You do? Oh wow!'' The deeply-tanned male titled his head with a curious smile, ''Famous Mr. K knows my name!''

Kaiba took another joyless sip of coffee.

''You've always looked so impressive on TV...'' 'Namu' hummed, looking off to the side of the CEO's head, ''The possibility of facing you in a match is so exciting!''

 

Seto firmly set down the mug before pushing past the other duelist. Marik turned his back on the gathering behind to watch him out of sight, before side-stepping into the shadows of a corridor himself. Marik slipped a hand into his vest, feeling for his hidden Item.

 _Even common courtesy evades him._ He mused darkly, _When I reobtain Ra's playmates, it'll be over for you, Kaiba. I will teach you to respect._

Sticking out slightly from the lilac material, the Rod glowed. Marik shut his eyes to picture the bumbling blonde, still prattling on with Yugi and company.

 

He mentally closed in, ensnaring Jounouchi's consciousness once more with ease, and with a warped grin the tomb-keeper forced Katsuya to excuse himself.

''It's so good of you to help Namu out short-notice, Jou-chan.'' The brainwasher cooed, ruffling Katsuya's mop, ''I would just ask Kaiba nicely, but....''

Marik shoved his slave forward with a leer. ''He's nowhere near as obliging as you.''

 

From far away he made Jounouchi reach forward, and with the Rod sent a charge through the boy's arm, enabling his slave to silently open the sliding door without identification. The tomb-keeper glanced about the dark room through his recipient.

Light and vapour came out of a bathroom door left less then half-way open, and Kaiba's indenification card and duel-disk were on the floor with Kaiba's clothes. Marik set Jounouchi down on all fours, spurring him on cautiously toward the pile.

Jounouchi took the disk, prising the deck from its holder. Numerous spells and monsters were discarded, as the platinum-haired madman repressed his urges to snort, whenever what was a laughably inferior card to him was passed over.

Finally, Katsuya's fingers ghosted the image of the Tormentor as Marik chuckled quietly. Still crouching, they leant forward and looked up as one into the bathroom doorway, features twisted and trihumphant. The billionare was turned away from them, oblvious as he rinsed his hair under the showerhead.

 

Something in their shared countenance changed, as Marik noticed the slashes across Kaiba's back and shoulders, as healed as they ever could be, covering the majority of his pale skin.

The Ishtar's breath hitched, the God Card and Kaiba's duel-disk slipping from his host's grasp. Back where he dictated the blonde's actions on another floor, he wrapped his arms about his chest.

His own markings, the ones his father had left felt warm.

 

When examined in a mirror, or simply dwelt upon in his mind, he'd always reimagine the sensations of every individual symbol as it was cut into him. Unwittingly, he now briefly compared his own process to Seto's; how the CEO's would have differed and felt to recieve. Wondered who might have dealt them-

A loud groan from Jounouchi brought the Ishtar back into the present. In Marik's shock, he'd relinquished enough control for his pawn to experience disorientation. Through the opening Kaiba's head whipped round.

''Mokuba...?''

 

_Shit._

There wasn't a hope of legging it with Obelisk now. Marik saw the closet in the corner of the room, and at the sound of footsteps forced Jounouchi into flinging it open and cramming himself inside. The tomb-keeper retreated from the duelist's mind, who slumped backwards just as the wild-eyed and dripping brunette discovered him.

 

With the towel about his waist, Kaiba stood wet and fuming before the recovering deadbeat. Words failed him for a time until the blonde ceased rubbing his head to squint up at him.

''Kaiba I...'' The brown eyes widened, ''Oh my god.''

''What the hell Jounouchi?''

''This isn't what it looks like-''

''I seek you out of your obvious hiding place, I find you slipping in and out of consiousness, and after what appeares to be a light bit of spying and attempted robbery on your part?''

''I-It wasn't me!''

Jounouchi scrambled to his feet, practically meeting Kaiba nose-to-nose. Seto recoiled slightly from

the panting breath in his face.

 

''Kaiba listen to me! It was Marik.''

The CEO's expression shifted. Jounouchi's distorted features from the forced confrontation with Yugi came vividly to mind.

''...You were under his influence?''

The red-eyes weilder nodded, ''Yeah. I can vaugely remember the things he was telling me to do...''

 

''He was here for my God Card.'' Kaiba glowered at the disarry of cards on the carpet. He laughed aloud with scorn, partly to cover up the internal twinge in his stomach.

''Good thing he was as staggeringly effectual at stealth as he was againt Mutou!''

_And thank goodness Mokuba wasn't here to be potentially taken hostage again._

 

Kaiba turned back to Katsuya, who was exhaling deeply with his eyes squeezed shut, bending over slightly as if in pain.

''...I'm never going to get over this.''

Seto stood staring.

''From getting mind-controlled twice?'' He paused, '' I suppouse that such a violation of your rights, your mind and body being manipulated against your will, would be... Very distressing in the waking aftermath.''

''...I meant from seeing my enemy _half-naked._ ''

Kaiba rolled his eyes, faintly flushing. "Oh for god's sake. ''

''It's going to take years of intensive therapy...'' A twinkle in Katsuya's brown eyes.

''Man up, would you?''

 

As soon as he was dressed, the billionare strode towards the lift with Jounouchi in tow.

''That event proves the Ghoul's bandleader to be even more cowardly then I thought.'' Said Kaiba through gritted teeth, ''I'm having a _word_ with him.''

''And so am I!''

''Provided you don't immediately punch the bastard, which I would not put past a hothead like you.'' Seto jammed his thumb into the desired button, the comment elicting a frown from his old schoolmate. ''It would be within my rights to do that, wouldn't you say?'' The blonde challenged as the doors closed.

 

''You haven't a right to anything until I have fully assesed what that 'Millenium-Item' of his can do.'' The steel chamber shuddered around them throughout the descent, ''We've got to approach this madman carefully-''

''Mightn't he be capable of controlling you too?'' Jounouchi asked, leaning back aganist the wall, ''You thought that far ahead, mister?''

Seto hestitated. ''I-''

''Perhaps you plan to stand around all pretty, fluttering your pretty-boy lashes so that he's too busy to think of anything else.''

The taller man's eyes and mouth grew in mortification, before he could ask the sentance's speaker where on _earth_ that had come from.

 

''Er, well, he's obviously a pervert! When we broke in, he had a good look whilst you were, you know...''

The blue eyes flashed at Katsuya, spurring the deadbeat to wave his arms frantically.

''I cannot emphasize enough that it was him, not me!'' He spluttered, going red, ''He was just using my eyes, is all-''

 

Rishid looked up slowly from his meditations, as the tight-lipped head of KaibaCorp burst into the room. The servant's gaze passed over from him to Katsuya, who the brunette was keeping back with a raised arm.

''Can I help you?'' Rishid coolly inquired.

''Can I help you, he says?'' Jounouchi roared, ''As if abosultely nothing has happened!''

''Quiet.'' Kaiba took a step nearer to the crouching eygptian.

''You have some serious nerve Marik, possessing idiots to nick what ought to be won by duelling.''

Said 'idiot' cried out indignantly whilst Seto ignored him.

 

Rishid kept listening to the CEO's words and to the rising level of bile being directed at him. He kept his composure perfectly, as Marik had just minitues ago warned him of such an encounter and how to address it.

''...those are all _very_ good reasons for me to have you disqualified.'' Seto crossed his arms with grim satisfaction, ''Do you have anything to say for yourself?''

''You won't.'' Rishid rose up, adjusting his Ghoul's hood calmly, ''Ra is far too irresistible a prize for you to let slip.''

 

Kaiba drummed his fingers along one arm, lips drawn tighter then ever. But a moment later he conceeded, feining innocence of the appalling look Jounouchi was giving him.

''That's true. But I can still have you restrained and punished to another capacity. You are on board _my_ craft and particpating in _my_ tornament after all.''

 

Seto leant in close to Rishid's ear, his voice dropping low and harsh.

''I can't have scum like you running around stealing people's card assets, Marik. At the very least you'll be going down below deck for a while...''

''Bit mild, isn't it?'' Katsuya hissed into Seto's ear in turn, much to the latter's annoyance.

 

''...Perhaps I could put you both at rest by temporarily offering up my Milleniumn Item into your custody?''

The duelists opposite Rishid looked bewildered by the Ghoul's unexpected proposition.

The deadbeat's eyes narrowed. "'Why the heck would you be so decent all of a sudden?''

 

_It's a minor setback Rishid. After my little cock-up we want to maintain their illusion of security._

 

_Can you contuine to act without it's power, Master Marik?_

 

_It's limited what I can normally do, but the Rod and I remain linked. I can still communicate telepathically and conjure a little. Besides, I have my wiles and unimgigated charms to fall back on in the meantime._

Marik sensed a pause, like an intake of breath in Rishid's mind

_Rishid, you rolled your eyes just then didn't you?_

 

_No, Master Marik._

 

_You watch yourself my friend. Don't start getting too big for your boots just because the Rod is temporarily out of reach._

 

Breaking off their connection, Marik watched from on high the two teenagers leaving his stand-in's quarters. The golden artifact was glinting in Kaiba's possesion, who stopped thoughtfully in the wake of the elevator to examine it.

Jounouchi jumped at the sudden movement of the Rod being unsheathed, and the Ghouls' leader smirked at the quirking of the amused billionare's brow.

Sliding the blade back in again as the lift made itself known, Seto faced Katsuya. Marik's eyes bore into his target's spine from up high, recalling the scars he had happened upon.

 

''Don't look so worried mutt. It's going straight in the vault, I can assure you.''

Marik half-closed his eyes.

''Sure it is.'' Katsuya replied, ''But I'll be coming down with you to see it done, just in case.''

''You seem to hang around me a lot these days...'' Marik heard Kaiba's fleeting murmer as he and Jounouchi were enclosed by metal, ''Like a bad smell.''

The Ishtar shrugged his shoulders with a snort, Jounouchi's comeback inaudible as the two disappeared. He remained where he was, feeling his banded wrists.

 

_They'll be tearing each others' throats out soon enough in the area. Duelists are fickle things_

 

_

 

He felt quite cheery after that first of the semi-finals, despite the Pharaoh's survival. Bakura's meddling inhabitant seemed quite out of the picture. Marik hummed to himself, a bottle under one arm and glasses in either hand, as upon turning found who he was looking for. Kaiba was sitting by himself in the dark, chin in hand as he stared out at a checkered view of fog and Domino glimmering below.

The Ishtar smiled sweetly as he sat on the tabletop, popping the cork of the bottle. His smile widened at the visible jolt that passed through Kaiba at the sound. Marik poured the alcohol and the billionare glared.

''What are you doing?''

_Round two._

''Apologizing.'' Marik sighed heavily, ''I must have done something to upset you, with how you stormed off earlier this evening.''

''I don't want it.'' Seto raised a hand to block the drink that was offered. Marik huffed in response to this with watery, ameythst eyes.

 

''But how else can I make it up to you?''

''By leaving me alone _,_ perhaps?''

''But I want to redeem myself in your eyes!''

 

Seto rubbed his temples.

''There's nothing to redeem yourself for. I just want you to leave. ''

Marik wailed, hugging the bottle to his chest. ''Oh!'' He looked up imploringly to the ceiling, ''Isn't there _any_ way of improving your opinion of me? I just wanted to be your friend but I've botched it! Heaven knows why or how-''

''If I drink,'' Kaiba growled, ''Then will you leave?''

The tomb-keeper slipped off the table and went around to take a seat beside the brunette, shuffling up all to closely to the white material and leather of Kaiba's person.

 

Seto took and sniffed the given glass, before Marik brought his own into contact with his.

The eygptian doused the lot, with a subtle glance at the loaded disk on Kaiba's arm, before beaming for the umpteenth time and pouring more for himself.

''Penny for your thoughts?''

Kaiba's gaze travelled back slowly and reluctantly from it's short-lived return to the window.

''When indulging muself,'' The brunette spoke with sarcasm between his first few tastes, ''I prefer to enjoy what I'm having in complete silence.''

 

''That dosen't sound much fun.'' Marik pouted, ''Particularly coming from the head of a massive Gaming enterprise. I would have expected your entire world to revolve around that single word.''

''It's not exactly a word for success.''

A quiet insued as the Ishtar figeted, with no other choice but to watch the painfully slow absorption of Kaiba's liquor. The second it was gone, Marik was there to swoop in and grant Seto his first refill.

He nudged the exasperated CEO playfully in the ribs, ''Come on. Tell me a little something more about yourself! Why are you so opposed to having a good time, Mmm?''

 

Marik felt the cold blue stare focussing upon him for the very first time. He couldn't help regarding it with a shiver, at the way the eyes were formidably sharpened in contrast to the night shadows pooling beneath them.

''I don't trust you.''

''...Why not?'' The Namu persona stammered.

''You're trying to get me drunk for a start.''

 

The brunette lowered himself to the eygptian's eyelevel.

''You've been hovering just in the corner of my vision since boarding with us. Paticuarly during Mutou and Ryo's conflict, when you no doubt assumed I was to passified to notice.''

Marik shrugged, knocking back his third drink.

''It's crossed my mind that Marik might have come on board with hidden reinforcements.''

Seto went on with a dangerous softness, probing the Ishtar's looks and body-gestures within his unflinching path of vision.

 

'Namu' opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. He settled upon a new apporach and smacked his lips.

''What about all those times I caught you looking back at me, Seto? Does that make you an unscrupulous card-dealer in disguise?''

Kaiba said nothing, setting his empty drinking-implement aside.

 

''I'm sure it doesn't. There's probably a far more reasonable explanation for such attention.''

The Ghouls' leader leant upon the tabletop, resting a cheek in one hand and pushing back some platinum strands with the other.

''An inexplicible attraction...?''

''Absurd.'' Kaiba interupted a little too quickly and fueled Marik's confidence. The tomb-keeper rose and stood over Battle City's initator, passing a thumb over his lips.

 

A flicker of curiosity arose in Seto's dull, sapphire orbs at this gesture. ''So this is what you've been after.'' He scoffed, ''A measley one-night-stand?''

''Whatever happens you can blame on the alcohol.''

''I haven't had enough for that...''

The CEO's body stiffened. Marik's fingers slipped round into his hair, pulling him deeper into an already deepening kiss. The Ishtar smiled throughout the execution. Achingly slow, hot and steady would win the race.

Kaiba shivered.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Seto and Marik have things in common (devoted siblings, destructive emotions, daddy-issues and trauma, back-scars in theory, their pursuing Yami Yugi, the Millenumn Rod connection) that are intriguing, but haven't seemed to have been explored in fanfiction all that much (as of my posting this).
> 
> The two have barely interacted in canon, but I always kind of wished they had a bit more...? Yeeeah, this thing is basically going to be the product of me self-indulglently milking the possiblites. Ship ship.
> 
> This first chapter took a surprisingly long time to write, but I did have fun. Number two is on the way.  
> Thank you very much for reading!


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